Distributing Processing Loads Across Audio Devices

Abstract

Digital signal processing (DSP) may be distributed across a plurality of endpoints and one or more aggregators in an audio system. One or more aggregators may perform selected DSP features and/or may control selected DSP features for performance by one or more endpoints, by load-balancing the DSP features across the endpoint(s) and/or the aggregator(s). Links may be established between the aggregator(s) and the endpoint(s) to communicate audio signals and related information for performing the DSP features.

1 . A computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:
 determine, based on available processing resources of a plurality of networked audio devices, a distribution of a first digital signal processing (DSP) feature to be performed by a first one or more audio devices of the plurality of networked audio devices; and 
 configure the first one or more audio devices to perform the first DSP feature according to the distribution of the first DSP feature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 send, to the plurality of networked audio devices, one or more requests; and   receive, in response to the one or more requests, one or more indications of the available processing resources.   
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 determine, based on the available processing resources of the plurality of networked audio devices, a distribution of a second DSP feature to be performed by a second or more audio devices of the plurality of networked audio devices; and   configure the second one or more audio devices to perform the second DSP feature according to the distribution of the second DSP feature.   
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 receive, from the first one or more audio devices, a second audio signal resulting from performing the first DSP feature on a first audio signal; and   perform a second DSP feature on the second audio signal.   
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 determine a remaining available processing resource of the first one or more audio devices that remains after the first one or more audio devices are configured to perform the first DSP feature;   determine, based on the remaining available processing resource, a second DSP feature; and   configure the first one or more audio devices to perform the second DSP feature.   
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of networked audio devices are associated with a plurality of zones, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 configure a first zone of the plurality of zones, based on the first zone being in an active state, to implement a second DSP feature; or   disable the first zone, based on the first zone being in an inactive state, from implementing the second DSP feature.   
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 determine the distribution of the first DSP feature further based on a plurality of processing loads of a plurality of DSP features.   
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 determine the distribution of the first DSP feature further based on power consumptions of the plurality of networked audio devices.   
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to:
 determine the distribution of the first DSP feature further based on heat generation by the plurality of networked audio devices.   
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first DSP feature is one of:
 audio mixing;   audio filtering;   audio equalization; or   automatic gain control.   
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first DSP feature is one of:
 acoustic echo cancellation;   audio delay;   audio noise reduction; or   surround sound processing.   
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, configure a computing device to:
 determine, based on available processing resources of a plurality of networked audio devices, a distribution of a first digital signal processing (DSP) feature to be performed by a first one or more audio devices of the plurality of networked audio devices; and   configure the first one or more audio devices to perform the first DSP feature according to the distribution of the first DSP feature.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 send, to the plurality of networked audio devices, one or more requests; and   receive, in response to the one or more requests, one or more indications of the available processing resources.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 determine, based on the available processing resources of the plurality of networked audio devices, a distribution of a second DSP feature to be performed by a second or more audio devices of the plurality of networked audio devices; and   configure the second one or more audio devices to perform the second DSP feature according to the distribution of the second DSP feature.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 receive, from the first one or more audio devices, a second audio signal resulting from performing the first DSP feature on a first audio signal; and   perform a second DSP feature on the second audio signal.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 determine a remaining available processing resource of the first one or more audio devices that remains after the first one or more audio devices are configured to perform the first DSP feature;   determine, based on the remaining available processing resource, a second DSP feature; and   configure the first one or more audio devices to perform the second DSP feature.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of networked audio devices are associated with a plurality of zones, and wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 configure a first zone of the plurality of zones, based on the first zone being in an active state, to implement a second DSP feature; or   disable the first zone, based on the first zone being in an inactive state, from implementing the second DSP feature.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 determine the distribution of the first DSP feature further based on a plurality of processing loads of a plurality of DSP features.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 determine the distribution of the first DSP feature further based on power consumptions of the plurality of networked audio devices.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing device to:
 determine the distribution of the first DSP feature further based on heat generation by the plurality of networked audio devices.